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Lee Simonson
American set designer
Quick Facts
- Born:
- June 26, 1888, New York, N.Y., U.S.
- Died:
- Jan. 23, 1967, Yonkers, N.Y. (aged 78)
- Founder:
- Theatre Guild
Lee Simonson (born June 26, 1888, New York, N.Y., U.S.—died Jan. 23, 1967, Yonkers, N.Y.) was a designer influential in freeing American stage design from constraints imposed by traditional realism. In 1915, after studying at Harvard University and in Paris, Simonson began designing sets for the Washington Square Players in New York. Four years later, he helped found the Theatre Guild and became a member of the board of directors (1919–40). During the next 30 years he designed sets for more than 75 productions, including many sponsored by the guild. He forsook the elaborate illusions of the “realistic” stage for ...(100 of 166 words)